Grant: Project Grant

In Canada, the laws about medically assisted dying (MAID)-where people with severe health conditions can choose to end their life with medical help-are changing. This has led to many discussions about whether mental health conditions should be eligible. These changes have made it essential to learn more about how to support people properly, especially when they call the 9-8-8 helpline, designed to help those in crisis or contemplating suicide. The 9-8-8 helpline has received over 2000 calls and messages from people wanting to talk about MAID in the last year, showing it is an important issue for both those in distress and the people trying to help them. This situation highlights the need for research to understand these conversations better and to train the helpline's responders. The goal is to make sure they can offer the right support, making sure the main focus stays on preventing suicide. Our research will look into three main areas: 1. What are the needs and experiences of those who bring up MAID when they reach out to 9-8-8, and how does the helpline help them and not help them? 2. What do the helpline's responders need to learn to handle these conversations well? 3. What guidelines can be put in place to support helpline responders? We aim to make 9-8-8 a service that understands and respects everyone's needs and is informed by personal experiences, experiences on the helpline, and the views of experts in the field. This project will involve analyzing past calls and messages to 9-8-8, surveys, policy reviews,and discussions with a wide range of people, including those with lived experience of mental illness and of the 9-8-8 service. Supported by experts in suicide prevention, this study will help create guidelines for discussing MAID on crisis lines. It will also offer insights that could improve training for responders and influence policies, making sure those considering MAID and the people supporting them on crisis lines receive the best possible care.